Golf tee



Aug. 23, 1938.

S. J. KARKOSKA GOLF TEE Filed March 9, 1938 //V VE/Y 70R STEPHEN .1 KA EKUSKA.

immm ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a tee for a golf ball in playing golf.

In all golf tees, of which I have knowledge, their lower surfaces are in a common plane, so

as to set horizontally and hence support a golf ball in stabilized position, but where the teeing off area or surface is otherwise than level, the weight of the ball tends to make the tee unstable, so that either the ball is unable to stay on the tee or it causes the tee to tilt, thereby rolling the ball out of position. One object of my invention is to provide an improved golf tee so constructed that danger of tilting the tee, due to the weight of the ball is overcome.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved golf tee, formed of elastic material and having a portion immediately below the ball, when the latter is in position, capable of withstanding severe shocks, where the player in making his stroke to hit the ball, he also hits the tee.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved golf teeformed of rubber and substantially T-shaped, wherein the seat for the ball is disposed in the plane of the leg of the T, but inwardly of the point of intersection of said leg and the arms of the T.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved golf tee of T-shape the leg and arms of which are relatively narrow and wherein the leg is longer than either arm. Accordingly the longer member of the tee enables the golfer or player to quickly determine the proper position of the tee to indicate the line of flight, thus insuring the accurate line of sight for him in-his stance and his drive.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a golf tee embodying my invention, a golf ball being shown in dotted lines in position on the tee.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away. Y

Fig. 3 is an elevational view looking toward the right of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, I0 indicates as an entirety a golf tee of T-shape adapted to support a golf ball a. The tee I0 is formed of rubber or suitable rubber compound, and when made, the

compound may be of a character to insure any desired flexibility, whereby one or more parts 65 of the tee may be flexed to permit its ready insertion in a golf bag or other place. In this arrangement, the tee I0 is positioned so that the leg II may serve as a directional member pointing toward the hole or green and one of the arms I2, I2, may serve as a guide for the player 5 when taking his position to tee off, either as a right hand or left hand player. The leg II and arms I2, I2, constituting the tee, are relatively narrow from end to end and provided with vertical side walls and bottom walls, the latter be- 10 ing disposed in a common plane. At their point of union the leg I I and arms I2, I2, are enlarged to provide for a through opening I3, the upper end of which is surrounded by a seat I4 of substantially concave shape to receive the ball a. 16 The upper surfaces of the leg II and arms I2, I2, are curved downwardly from the upper end of the opening I3 to their free ends, so that where the tee is carried along with or trails the ball when the latter is driven, these ends tend 20 to dig into the grass or ground to retard its movement.

As shown, the opening I3 is disposed in the plane of the leg II, but inwardly of the point of intersection of the leg' II and arms I2, I2, and 25 extends entirely through the tee parallel to the outer sides of the arms I2, I2. By providing an opening as set forth, the rear wall of the tee, which is directly below the rear side of the ball a when the latter is in position, is free to yield 30 due to the impact of a club or iron therewith, as where the player hits both the ball and tee in teeing off. As the outer sides of the arms I2, I2, are vertical and the wall of the opening I3 is cylindrical, the wall between said outer sides 35 and the opening has a uniform thickness from top to bottom and is reinforced by reason of its integral connection with the arms, so that the wall is capable of withstanding these severe shocks and forces without being damaged. 40

By providing the ball seat I I at the upper end of the opening IS, the weight of the ball, that is, its center of gravity lies within an imaginary triangle of which the arms I2, I2, form its base, so that the weight of the ball tends to prevent 45 tilting of the tee rearwardly.

My improved tee is capable of use where the teeing-off surface has been damaged so that it is not level. Under such conditions the tee is liable to tilt over due to the weight of the ball 50 and its high center of gravity, but in my construction of tee I prevent (a) tilting laterally by providing two oppositely extending arms I2, I2 and (b) tilting rearwardly by making the leg II long enough to overbalance such tendency.

By preference, the leg ll of the T-member I0 is as long as the combined length of the arms I2, [2. Aside from the purpose of making the leg I l longer than either arm H! or l2, it has other advantages, namely, it helps the player to quickly determine the correct position of the tee and where the tee is knocked away from its original position, the tee will come to rest with the leg II sticking upwardly and on account of its length it can be readily seen.

It will be noted that the leg H is relatively narrow, its opposite sides are in parallel relation throughout its length and its upper surface is below the seat M, the purpose of this construction being to eliminate any obstruction in? the path of movement of the ball a where the latter when teed-off does not follow an upward course as is usually intended by-the'playen What I claim is:

A golf tee comprising a T-shaped member formed of elastic material, the leg of said member having parallel sides throughout its length and said leg being longer than either of said arms, said member being formed with a vertical through opening in the plane of the leg of said T-shaped member but inwardly of the point of intersection of the leg with the arms of said member, the upper end of said opening forming a seat for a golf ball, the outer sides of the arms rearward of said opening being disposed parallel to the axis thereof, whereby the wall between said opening and said outer sides is adapted to cushion a blow against said wall.

STEPHEN J. KARKOSKA. 

